South Africa Wanderlust

Wanderlust has set in hard.
I am so keen for a holiday it’s crazy and have promised myself a South African adventure for the longest time. No idea why everyone always wants to bugger off overseas when we have such gems right here in SA. The Namaqualand daisies, the stars in Sutherland, the Owl House in Nieu Bethesda – I’ve said I’m going to visit these places for years and just never get around to it.

I have to admit that I prefer planning my own trips over using a travel agent. I spend hours online trawling hotel, B&B and direct booking sites and then hopping onto tripadvisor to see what real people think of all the places. I recently discovered Afristay and made a few enquiries with some of their listings and was delighted to find the rates hugely competitive, often much better than booking with the establishment directly.

Listings range from game lodges and boutique hotels, to private villas and holiday homes and are located across the whole of SA. Self-catering, bed & breakfast, boutique hotels or apartments, camping and caravanning – you name it, it’s listed and you can even narrow your search down by neighbourhood. Once you make an enquiry via their site, a representative will contact you to arrange your booking and guarantee you the rate as shown on their site.

I did a bit of legwork and made a wishlist of some of the spots on their site I’m keen to visit – with over 20000 listings in 2000 locations it was no mean feat!
Have a squizz at these pics and tell me we do not live in the most beautiful, diverse country!

{Click images to enlarge – pics are named with the establishment name & location}

Yes – every single one of those pics is a place in SA, where you can stay… how lucky are we?!
First place I have my eye on for the next few months is Hartford House in the Midlands – have been dying to visit again and they just placed in the Top 20 in the 2017 Eat Out Awards, so another feast is in order!
I honestly think one of their Lakehouse Suites has my name on it…

2 Comments

Some amazing places right on our doorstep – it is one of our goals for next year (after settling into life with 3 and finding a crazy babysitter that would agree to 3!) Hartford House is our best – always the most amazing weekend away with plenty of time to relax and EAT! x

About Ask Ashe

Brand Consultant + Editor

I’m Nicola Ashe - ad exec turned brand consultant, who quit the rat race in 2014, so I could finally breathe again. I live in Durban, South Africa with my husband and 4 rescue dogs and run Ask Ashe as a brand consulting business, helping people create and curate their own brands. But it's also my little space on the web, where I've shared design, decor, food, travel or lifestyle snippets since 2009.